FIFA 14 on PS4 is first UK number one of 2014

The UK charts continue to show PlayStation 4 sales ahead of the Xbox One, as GTA V becomes the fourth-highest selling game ever.

January may be rather short of major new releases but the first UK charts of 2014 have proven surprisingly interesting, with FIFA 14 topping both top 10s.

There’s nothing very surprising about that, since FIFA 13 was also the first number one of 2013, but what’s notable is that it’s the PlayStation 4 version of the game that’s the best selling.

Sony’s new console accounted for 31 per cent of all FIFA 14 sales last week, compared to 24 per cent each for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

This is despite the fact that Microsoft went to some considerable effort to organise not only limited edition hardware bundles with a free copy of FIFA 14 (most of which have now been sold out) but also exclusive content in terms of the Legends mode of FIFA Ultimate Team.

Although hardware sales are not generally revealed for Europe the software charts reinforce the impression that the PlayStation 4 has taken an early lead over the Xbox One in the UK.

However, software sales have taken their traditional new year dip, with total sales of FIFA 14 down 48 per cent on last week (although up 21 per cent on FIFA 13 at the same time last year). Call Of Duty: Ghosts is down 55 per cent and Assassin’s Creed IV down 50 per cent.

Grand Theft Auto V sales fell by as much as 64 per cent, but it’s already become the fourth biggest selling game of all-time in the UK and Chart-Track predict it could take the number one spot within the next three months.

With the release schedules for January being particularly barren this year there’s little likelihood the top 10s will change significantly before February. Although Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Z on January 24 and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition the week after should be able to take advantage of the lack of competition.